Sunday, July 31, 2011

WhoTeaches is a wonderful new (beta) social network that sort of reminds me of Wiziq. This is a network designed to facilitate communication between teachers, students, parents, and even offer high level education to other people (a la Wiziq). Plus, w/ a very user friendly interface and excellent search ability by subject or area, WhoTeaches really has it all.

What a really like about WhoTeaches is how easy it is to use and how nice and polished it looks. It allows a user to upload their resume, teaching experience, videos, etc etc. Educators from every subject can be found on this site. Another great feature is the ability to create groups sharing and collaborating on documents, files, media, etc etc.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Audible is a wonderful site for finding/downloading 1000's of digital audiobooks. This site is powered by Amazon and works on most mobile devices. Not only does this site offer books, but other types of media as well such as: speeches, radio shows, podcasts,etc.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Show Me Whats Wrong is a very ambitious site w/ a great idea. This would be a site my mother would love because it is designed for people who need help w/ their computer issues. For example, I would go to Show Me Whats Wrong, type in my name and email address and it generates a unique URL.

That URL is then linked to screen-cast-o-matic which then automatically starts recording the person's screen who received the email. (It doesn't happen right away, there is a start button, and the person has 5 minutes to record). Then that person can email back their problem which is in a screen cast and this way I would be able to actually see what is going on w/ my mom's computer. It might sound a bit complicated but in actuality it is very easy to use.

I highly recommend checking out Show Me Whats Wrong by clicking here!!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Minus is a wonderful site/app for sharing files, photos, music, etc w/ a simple to use drag-n-drop interface. This happens to be a very visually pleasing site and is very innovative in the way it works.

I've been using the Mac app and think it works perfectly. A user has the ability to set their files to public/private, share them, embed them in a site, etc etc. Also, there is a nifty little screen capture tool which is a nice feature too. Those familiar w/ Dropbox will feel right at home w/ this app.

Conduit Mobile is a new (beta) site that allows users to create mobile apps for their blog or site w/out knowing what to do (that's me 8-). Right off the bat let me say that this is a very easy site to use that takes you step by step how to get that done and you can have an app ready to use in 5 to 10 minutes depending on what you want to accomplish.

There is a very detailed review and guide on how to create an app by clicking here. Basically all a user has to do is: create an account, enter their URL, then select what kind of data they want in their app (RSS, Twitter feed, FB, etc etc), choose a theme, add some pictures and that's really about it.

There is a wonderful visual on your app in action on a preview mobile device. What's really neat is you can select the device you want to see it on (iPhone, iPad, Android, etc.) and it shows you what it will look like.

When all is done you get a URL that you can share, a QR code that you can embed into your site, and much more.

I highly highly recommend checking out this wonderful site by clicking here!!!

To access my mobile app, please click here. You should be able to use on more formats such as the iPad, iPhone and Android soon!!!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Being able to create a video chat in the classroom is a crucial component of global learning. Not only does this technique engage the audience more then just a standard chat, but it strengthens technology literacy in a visual way. While there are paid solutions for a much broader/corporate like audiences there are also smaller free ones that work just as well in an educational type setting.

Top 10 Sites for Creating a Video Chat

Skype in the Classroom - Designed specifically for education this site brings teachers, projects and resources together from all around the world. Also, this is a free site designed for video conferencing and global learning.

FaceFlow - FF is a wonderful site for creating a free room the allows not only video chatting but texting too. Up to 4 people can video chat at the same time via a unique URL that is generated.

Caffein - A very user friendly site to use that allows for video chatting. Also, these rooms are private but can be shared w/ social networks to allow for others to join.

Google+ - Still very new in release, Google Hangouts is one of the standout features on this amazing new social networks. Hangouts allows up to 10 people to video chat at once w/ YouTube integration. Also, there is a handy group text feature that is incorporated as well.

iMeet - While not a free site to use, iMeet is one the most visually stunning video chat site around that allows up to 15 users at once.

BoostCam - A nice fun site to use to create a simple two way video chat. All a user has to do is click, start chat now, and then share the unique URL that is generated.

Wetoku - Similar to uStream, this amazing site allows for users to create video interviews and then record them and sync them up to play in the same window.

Tinychat - A great site that allows, video, audio, and text chat. Also, integrates nicely w/ social networks and has a decent acceptable use policy.

ooVoo - An excellent site similar to iMeet that allows up to 6 way video chat. Also, there is a very nice user interface w/ the ability to not only chat but share files as well. A user can also save video chats and send them as messages. While there is a free user base more features are available through different payment plans.

iVideoChat - A simple chat service to use but w/ lack of features for the free version may not be the best option for education.

Word Hippo is a site I learned about from a reader and member of my PLN. This is a great online dictionary and translator that should be a huge benefit for teachers and students alike. Not only can you translate words but you can find synonyms, antonyms, etc etc.

Congrats to Roderick who was the winner of last weeks iGrade Plus raffle which brings us to our next one, free Gnowledge goodies. This week I will be raffling off 10 Gnowledge folders along w/ sheets of stickers. These will be nice to have in the classroom or computer lab for the upcoming school year.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Thinglink is a wonderful new site that I just found out about from Free Technology 4 Teachers. This is a site that installs a plugin on a blogging platform and then turns your photos interactive by tagging and labeling them.

Easy Notecards is a new (beta) site for creating notecards. What makes Easy Notecards stand out from other notecard creation sites is the ability to link cards to text books. This is a very handy feature and makes the studying process a lot easier.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Image After is a site I just found out about from Free Technology 4 Teachers and it is a nice site for finding free images & clip art. There is a lot to this site such as images, textures and extra goodies to search for.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Exploratree is a great site for educators to use for creating mind maps or brainstorming. This is an easy site to use that allows for group collaboration and comments as well. Best of all, Exploratree has a number of different templates to choose from to find the right "mind map" for you.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

I received an email from the creator of this wonderful new site for educational resources for school readiness. While this site does focus mainly on preschool and KDG there is a lot of useful information to be found here.

"On the website I offer hundreds of free printable worksheets for parents to use at home and for teachers to print and use in the classroom. My worksheets cover a variety of topics from letter tracing (I have 52, one for each uppercase and lowercase letter), math/number awareness, visual discrimination, auditory processing, phonemic awareness, letter/word awareness, social/emotional development, fine motor development and gross motor development. (Renee Abramovi)"

Pegby is a site I just found out about from the great, iLearn Technology. This is a site that is similar to Pindax that it lets users "peg" note cards into their board. Boards are the walls that users can add content to. Once the note cards are added they can be shared w/ others or move from board to board in a drag-n-drop interface.

I highly recommend checking out Pegby for an innovative way to take and share notes by clicking here!!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Simple Diagrams is a site I just found out about from Free Technology 4 Teachers. This is a site that offers a tool (adobe air install) for creating simple easy to use diagrams. This is ideal for brainstorming or mind mapping and can be a real asset for educators. There are lots of nice features such as adding photos, drag-n-drop interface, and ability to change background. Keep in mind there is a paid and free version.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

iMeet is a wonderful site for doing meetings or video chats on the web. At first glance this reminds me of Google+'s "hangouts". This is a visually stunning innovative site that allows up to 15 users at once. Also, there is the ability to share all types of files, text chat, etc etc. Keep in mind this is not a free site (free 30 day trial) but $69 a month.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Google+ has garnered a lot of buzz as of late. It's the hottest thing, eerrr ummm, well, since Google Wave (I have a feeling this will stick around longer). To sum up Google+ in a brief sentence is that this is a social network that may rival Facebook.

Keep in mind there is a bit of a learning curve as w/ anything new...Lets take a quick look at the main features of Google+:

Circles - The closest thing this resembles is Friends in Facebook or followers on Twitter but w/ the ability of who can see what. You the user control which people go in which circle and who can and can't see your posts or even share your posts for that matter. This is a nice feature for those that wanted more control over their posts then simply putting them in public or private on Facebook. Again there are different things to learn such as streaming (aka posting) or "liking" a post w/ a "+1".

Sparks - Is a recommendation engine (think Bing) built right into Google+ that allows users to "pin" into their profile's sidebar or share right into their circles.

Hangouts - Probably, one of the coolest features of Google+ is "hangouts" or their 10 way video chat feature. Basically, this is creating a room for people to chat via video. This has a nice visual user interface and integrates w/ YouTube as well for sharing. There is also a group text feature which is handy. The goal for Hangouts is to be much more inviting then the standard one on one video chat (I think they may have found a winner here!!).

There is much more to be found on Google+ but this gives a basic start. I must say I like the feature where you have to accept photos being tagged of you before they go "live". Now I don't have to beg my friends to not post a picture of me, I can just refuse them tagging me.

I highly highly recommend to check out this Complete Guide to Google+ by clicking here for a much more detailed walk through.

Join Google+ by clicking here and if you need an invite send me an email and I'll do my best to get you one.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Konivo is a new site that is great for making slideshows. What it actually does is allow you to upload a powerpoint then record a video of you talking about that slide. It then syncs it all together to share w/ others. This is a great site for making a Pecha Kucha presentation.

Educational Videos is a wonderful site for finding relevant videos for school. This is organized by subject and then rated on a star system. This reminds me a lot of Watch Know for those that are familiar w/ that site.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Comic Creator by Boys Life magazine is a site I just found out about from iLearn Technology. This is a fun site that is very similar online creators of this type. It has a nice easy interface to use and all the elements can be found such as: background, character, movement etc.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

"File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multimedia (audio, images, and video), documents, or electronic books (wikipedia)." As w/ any business or educational institution integrated w/ technology, it's important to have a solid grasp on file sharing and be fluent in the use of file sharing technologies.

Top 10 Sites for File Sharing

Box - Probably the most popular of the web based file sharing sites that integrates w/ Google Apps. Also, has the ability to share/store files in a folder which is ideal for embedding into a site.

Minus - A simple file sharing site that allows users to embed their file into a blog/site or share w/ a unique URL.

File Dropper - A free easy to use site that allows users to upload up to 5 Gig of data.

Pipe Bytes - An ideal way to share files in a private setting either as an URL or embed code.

DocDroid - A great site for file sharing which allows for password protection and the ability to choose what format you want to download the file in.

Papyrs - An excellent site for sharing files in a social network type setting.

Go Pileus - A simple to use site (drag-n-drop) for sharing files that also integrates nicely w/ bit.ly for URL shortening.

Sendoid - A site that is also available as a free app for sharing files person to person rather then storing on a server.

Air Dropper - A unique site that allows a user to create a dropbox that allows others to access via a request and then download.

WeTransfer - A fun site for transferring files w/ a nice user interface. Also, a person has the ability to add a message to their file transferring email.

The Reform Symposium a 3 day free virtual conference is back this summer going from Jul 29th-31st. I was invited to present these last few years but have yet to find partake in this excellent opportunity.

This is a wonderful opportunity for educators around the world to collaborate and take part in some innovative professional development.

PenCamp is a site I just found out about from Free Technology 4 Teachers. This is a site dedicated to having people publish their writing online. It's simple to use and all a user has to do to get started is enter a name for their PenCamp page and choose a password.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Great news! Shmoop has teamed up w/ Technology Tidbits to give one lucky reader a free Shmoop T-Shirt. I have one and it's a lot of fun to wear a great conversation piece. Help promote this wonderful site by wearing this shirt w/ pride and joy.

All you have to do is click the link and enter your name and email to enter the raffle. The winner will be chosen at the end of the week, sunday July 17th.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Automatoon is a site I just found out about from the great, Free Technology 4 Teachers! This is a site that reminds me a little bit of GoAnimate, in that it is designed for creating custom animations. What makes Automatoon so nice is that it is very user friendly and animations can be done in three easy steps. Anyone familiar w/ a morphing program or Kinemac will feel right at home.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Planbook EDU is a new site/app for creating lesson plans on the web. This is ideal for those who use Google Apps. Being on the web this is great for mobile and works well w/ mobile devices. For a fee users can get more features such as the ability to attach files to your book, embed into a site, etc etc.

Last month I had the opportunity to do a basic review of the website Gnowledge. After some collaboration and spending more time on the site, I've decided to do a more in depth review of this wonderful new teaching tool.

Gnowledge is a free site designed for creating and sharing tests. This is done in through an innovative user interface that is very easy to use. Anyone familiar w/ test creation sites or PowerGrade will feel right at home. Also, there is a definite social networking aspect that is ideal for 21st Century learning through collaboration and the sharing of tests and answers.

Another great feature of Gnowledge is how user friendly the website w/ excellent hands on tutorials and a great FAQ page. I highly recommend viewing these brief videos to get a solid understanding of what this excellent site has to offer. For example, a user has many options for editing their tests w/ features such as: privacy controls, adding images, adding text snippets, etc etc. Once these tests are created then can be shared w/ others and used to enhance learning.

However, w/ all that being said what really makes Gnowledge shine are the test activity reports. Teachers and students alike can easily view their results and see which questions they got wrong while viewing their response and the right answer. This is a very useful feature especially when doing self reflection or for self based learning.

After reading this it may sound like any other test/quiz creation site which I've blogged about before, but that's really not true. At heart this is a social network/community that is designed to enhance learning and collaboration through the creation of tests. This can be a very useful tool for educators and students to gauge their success on a given topic or subject or even practice for an upcoming exam.

Below is a great example of how this site is being used in another country...

"The best example of how Gnowledge is being used and how it transcends language and cultural barriers and education syllabuses is by a French language teacher in Mexico (a Spanish-speaking country). She uses Gnowledge (an English-language website) to produce simple tests and exercises for her students. In three months she has published 43 tests and these tests have been administered to her (and other) students 1,139 times. Scale of this magnitude does not happen in conventional classrooms or schools. (Gnowledge)"

Also, since Gnowledge is in beta there are still lots of features to come, such as timed tests and history tracking. It would be nice to see if some mobility options open up too.

New sites are popping up all the time w/ cloud computing and mobile devices leading the way. Although, not all of them have this nice polished look (especially in beta) and really get what education is all about, the way that Gnowledge does.

I highly recommend checking out Gnowledge by clicking here and see how it can work for you!!

Slidestaxx is a wonderful looking site for creating free beautiful social media slideshows. What makes SS so nice is how easy it is to use; just add photos, videos, websites, etc and more (from your favorite online sites), then embed either share on a social network site or embed into a blog.

Mashpedia is a site that I just found out about from Twitter. It is a real-time encylopedia that gets its content from social networks, YouTube, Flickr, blogs, etc etc. This is ideal for use for a nice visual experience that gets you up to date information on concepts and subjects.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Loop Labs is a site for creating music that I was familiar w/ but was reminded after reading a post on Free Technology 4 Teaachers. This is a site that is very similar to Garageband or Myna. All a user has to do is select a music track and instruments to create their song. Then by clicking on a music timeline they can hear what they recorded. The ability to add a voice is also available as well as sharing and download as an MP3.

Being a huge advocate of lists, I was pleasantly surprised when I received an email from a writer for Information for Technology Degrees. He passed a long a post he did for top 50 free IT apps. After looking at the list I was happy to seem some that I have experience w/ in the past: Cacoo, Cacti, Nagios, Flow, etc.

I highly recommend checking out this list for all IT needs by clicking here!!!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Papyrs is a new (beta) site that is ideal for file sharing. This is done in a social network type environment and is ideal for sharing: documents, notes, and more. What makes this more then just a file sharing service is the social network interface which allows users to collaborate, leave comments, build their own page, etc etc.

Animaps is an innovative site for creating animated maps in Google Maps. This is done by creating a map and then adding markers (similar to custom animation in PP), text, and shapes that are all set to specific timings.

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David Kapuler

I have been working w/ technology and education for over 14 years in a school setting. I'm looking for work in a K-12 environment as a Technology Integration/Support Specialist in WI/IL. Contact email - dkapuler@gmail.com
I'm currently looking to get my Mac OS/Repair Certification, as well as a Masters in Technology Integration.
Also, I have a solid background in web design, w/ network/server support.
On a personal note, I';m a proud father of 3 boys and 1 girl, and have been married for 10 years.